Live Employment Q&A

Live Employment Q&A: How can you improve your job seeking technique?

Join our live Q&A at 12.15pm on Monday 4th November to discuss ways to find employment.

Finding employment can be an extremely difficult process. In the first of our live job seeking Q&As (Questions and Answers) we want to discuss methods that can help you to improve your job seeking technique and find employment.

We also want to hear your experiences of looking for employment in Zambia.

You can join our live discussion between 12.15pm and 13.15pm on Monday 4th November. Why not post your thoughts in the comments section below anytime and then join us live for the discussion?

Sohail Ahmad

Global Citizen

I would like to find out, do employers in Zambia still expect to receive handwritten applications? I am currently working abroad, but have been looking at moving back home, so I have been preparing applications and emailing them to my cousin to print and post for me. This was after I learned the hard way that sometimes, the email addresses provided by Zambian employers (such as ZDA) don’t work. But I have recently heard that employers sometimes expect handwritten applications. Is this true?

GoZambiaJobs

It really depends on what is stipulated in the job advertisement. In most cases the application procedure is provided in the job advertisement. For example, if you you look at the jobs on http://www.gozambiajobs.com the application procedure is always provided. In most cases this is by email or by a choice of email or hand-written applications. You are right to highlight the issue of email addresses that do not work and for this reason we advise employers to add an auto-reply so that applicants know that their email has been received. Failing this, you may have to telephone through to make sure your application has been received in order that you do not miss out on opportunities. Best of luck with your move back home.

GoZambiaJobs

Hi Lisa. Thank you for your question. In the public sector the retirement age has just been lifted to 65 years – we are not aware of a standard rule for the retirement age in the private sector. Most companies in Zambia value experience so do not be put off applying for jobs on the grounds of age.

Felistus

What do I do in a situation where you know you are a best fit for the Job yet the the amount of work experience required does not match? say you have 4 and they are asking for 7. Just how do you convince that you got what it takes?

GoZambiaJobs

Excellent question. We would recommend applying for the role and detailing the skills and experience that you have. Just because a person has done a role for a longer period of time does not always mean that they have more experience. For example, it is possible that someone with 4 years work experience, as you suggest, may actually have more experience in terms of the work and projects that they have done. Try focusing on what you have done and your key achievements – this may be more than someone who has been in a similar role for a longer period of time.